Heart to Ego: Kidnap a Crush
by Crystal Dragon
Summary: Sometimes AAML just doesn't work out, and you have to head towards somebody else.
1. Heart to Ego: Kidnap A Crush

Kidnap a Crush

Kidnap a Crush

"Why are we landing?" asked Kasumi as she walked into the controlling center.   
"We need to recharge the ship at this little planet," replied Kenji.   
"Oh... Alright."   
Kasumi left with Togepi close behind her. The automatic door closed a few seconds after she left.   
Satoshi slammed his hand on the left button labeled "Landing Pad." It didn't budge.   
"Kenji, slow down, this button's not going down again."   
Kenji brought the steering handle away from him and the ship started to slow before they hit the atmosphere.   
Satoshi put his weight into his hand trying to get the little rounded object to push. He gritted his teeth and pushed down harder.   
"We also need to get this thing oiled!" he said. "Pikachu, a little help, here!"  
"Pika!" he replied and pushed down on the button as well. It finally went down quickly and they could feel a distinct thump at the bottom of the ship.   
"You know, that doesn't sound very good," said Kenji. 

** 

Kasumi walked into her quarters with Togepi on her shoulder. She sat on one of her chairs that were placed by the window. She liked to look out at the stars, and sometimes any planets they passed by. She could see a good view of the planet they were about to land on.   
Then something caught her eye. She saw something going down to the planet as well.   
"It's Shigeru!" she exclaimed and put her hands against the window.   
She recognized the shape of the space ship anywhere. She knew that there would have to be a fight today since there always was when they met up with him.   
Shigeru: the youngest known criminal in the universe, who is wanted for theft, and attempted murder. He was also seen dealing drugs and weaponry. And it was safe to say it wasn't all just once.   
He had a group of women along with him that helped take control of the ship and other numerous jobs.   
Yet Kasumi sometimes couldn't help but think he was reasonably attractive. And she liked the way he smiled as well, even if it was always dripping with his ego.   
Kasumi sighed and closed her eyes. She took off her hat that had the cross on it. She couldn't help it if she had a knack for being a doctor. But she always did like to explore more than heal.   
All of a sudden she snapped out of her daydream as she felt a large crash hit the ship and half of the items toppled over, including her.   
Kasumi groaned as she stood up from the floor and looked outside, seeing that they had landed someplace on the planet. Obviously it wasn't in a city. Palm trees were sprung up everywhere and one was leaned against her window. Kasumi growled as she stared at the half-broken tree that was pressed strangely to the thick glass. 

** 

"You know, when you land, you're supposed to find a place that _isn't_ full of trees in our way!" she shouted while bursting into the control room where Satoshi and Kenji were.   
"Lei-9, what's wrong here?" said Satoshi, looking up.   
"Ship out of fuel. Landing pad: down," replied a mechanical voice. "Warning! Warning! Energy cord in system core...."   
The computer's voice died out, along with all the lights around them. The whole ship suddenly shut off completely and they felt another thump and heard the rustle of some of the palm trees.   
Kenji turned on a flashlight and he flashed it around a little.   
"That's it!" screamed Kasumi, and she kicked part of the engine. "This stupid ship is falling apart! I cannot believe this hunk of junk cost us over 90,000 yen! And you know the worst thing? Shigeru is here to steal all the rest of what we have!"   
"Shigeru?!" exclaimed Satoshi. 

** 

"Where's Shigeru?!" yelled Satoshi and he crashed out of the entrance and jumped onto the ground with a gun at hand and pikachu right beside him.   
"Satoshi, wait, we don't know where he is and we have to get this ship out of here," said Kenji.   
"But Shigeru is..."   
"If Shigeru doesn't know we're here then you can just get to him later," said Kasumi. 

** 

Shigeru watched down, hidden in one of the palm trees nearby. His dark brown cape blended in with the tree's leaves making him unnoticeable. Ibui peered up at one of the higher, larger leaves.   
"Ibuiiiiii!" it squealed softly.   
Shigeru narrowed his eyes. He had to get that money. Those three idiots were the only people closest to him that he could steal from in space because of their first explosion... because everybody else died... because it would take longer for the new generation to explore. If he could wipe those three out he wouldn't have any more trouble next time.   
But how could he get that money away from them? He looked down at the three. Satoshi and Kenji ran off while Kasumi went inside of the broken down ship with Togepi. Shigeru's eyes widened and he stared insanely at her; cleaning up the mess inside the little ship, resting, waiting, and doing what any girl would be doing.   
She was the girl, and she was the classic bait.   
"Kasumi..." he said slowly and smiled. 

** 

Kasumi hummed quietly as she sat on a couch in her room. She sighed and looked at the mess that the crash had made. The place looked deserted and dark like a ghost house. She rubbed off the feeling though and began to pick everything up, still humming.   
While she picked up a half broken plate that she was using for last night's dinner she heard a small creak in the hall.   
"Hmm?" she said in surprise and cocked her head up.   
"Briiiiiiii!" she heard Togepi say as it walked into her room from the hall.   
"Oh... it's just you, Togepi," she said with relief and sighed. "I shouldn't be so scared... there's nobody here except me. Maybe I should take a day off once in a while."   
Kasmui threw the broken plate shards behind her and it landed in a trash can. She suddenly heard another small creak in the hall.   
"Togepi...? Are you trying to scare me again?" she said.   
"Tokie?" said Togepi and looked up at her.   
Kasumi made a small gulp.   
"Ibuiiiiii!" she heard and an Ibui came out into her room.   
"Ibui?!" she exclaimed in fright. "If you're here than...."   
"_Kasumi_...."   
"Huh?" she whispered and her eyes widened.   
"_Kasumi...._"   
A shadow loomed over her and she gasped. She screamed and it echoed around the area. The shadow disappeared with her, and all that was left was a small note that landed on the couch.   
**   
Kasumi's cry echoed out to Satoshi and Kenji as they came back with a mechanic.   
"That sound like Kasumi!" exclaimed Satoshi.   
"We better hurry!" added Kenji.   
The two began to run quickly towards the ship and the mechanic was left, dazed by a blow of dust in his face.   
"Hey, wait a minute you two! You can just leave me out in the middle of nowhere!" he yelled after them but they didn't answer.   
Satoshi and Kenji reached the ship soon after and began looking furiously around for Kasumi, but only found objects broken or turned over from the crash.   
"I'll check Kasumi's room," said Kenji and Satoshi nodded from the kitchen.   
Kenji stepped around a few stuffed animals and books. He looked under the bed but still didn't find anything. He walked over the Kasumi's couch and began to flip over the cushions for anything suspicious. Before lifting up the fourth cushion he saw the small note and flipped it over. He read it and his eyes widened as he saw what was written down on it.   
"Satoshi! Satoshi, come over here quickly!" he yelled loudly.   
"What? What is it?" Satoshi called back and he ran into Kasumi's room.   
"Take a look at who wrote this certain note."   
Satoshi snatched the paper away from Kenji and looked at it. 

"_Yo, Satoshi, the rat, and that other guy,   
Just to let you know I've taken your girl and if you ever want her back you'll have to fork over your doe. I'm tired of all our foolish games of cops and robbers so you better do this quickly or the girl gets it.   
You don't realize what our first battle has cost me and I'm taking definite revenge. And because I'd know you better, I'll leave it up to you to find my ship. Remember: the money for the girl. _

Don't take too long.   
-Shigeru" 

Shigeru clenched his fists in rage, crumbling the paper along with it.   
"... Shigeru...." growled Satoshi. "To think you'd go all the way down to blackmailing us...." Satoshi looked out of the broken window and up at the sky. "**I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!!!**"   
**   
Kasumi sat on a metal table in one of the lounging rooms of Kasumi's ship. Her hands were tied behind her back with a rope and Togepi sat in a cage nearby. Shigeru stood in front of her quietly, with Eevee resting next to him.   
"Just why do you need me?" demanded Kasumi suspiciously and she eyed at Shigeru, who had his back at her.   
He turned his head to the side and looked at her. She had quite a mean look on her face. She may have been a young nurse but she was certainly no pushover and was quite brave to be looking at him like that; her being the one kidnapped.   
"Blackmail," he said simply and turned his head back.   
"Blackmail?! You mean you're using _me_ as the certain precious item to be traded in for?!"   
"You were really the only person there that they'd really ever care about enough. Or maybe I should say the 'precious item' as you have just referred to _yourself_ as," he replied coolly.   
Kasumi growled loudly and she tried to pry herself loose of the rope. "Just wait until I get my hands on you!"   
"That will have to be until your two friends get here. At the moment you seem to be... tied up."   
"Well it's not like you'll be getting much out of them since we don't even have much money left! So there's really no point in trying to steal our stuff. Or are you trying to kill us all or what?!"   
Shigeru turned around with an exasperated, and angry, look on his face. "You know, for some little girl you sure have a big mouth!"   
"Ibuiiiii!" said Ibui, imitating its master.   
"Look who's talking! At least I never bragged about some ship and the women running it!"   
"Do I have to shove a sock into your mouth or should I cover it with tape?!"   
"It's going to take more than that to keep me quiet."   
Shigeru and Kasumi stared at each other, hissing. Shigeru's eyes narrowed at the nurse.   
"Stupid pile of shit," said Kasumi and spat at him.   
Shigeru narrowed his eyes even more. How could he ever shut the girl up?   
"I just can't believe you, Shigeru! We barely ever did anything to -mmph!" 

Before she could say another word Shigeru moved his face forward and kissed her. There was an exchange of surprised looks on both of them, as even Shigeru didn't know why he did so.   
They both leaned back on the table, continuing their kiss. They rolled over until Shigeru was lying down on his back, slowly untying the rope on Kasumi's wrists.   
There was suddenly bright flash of energy flashing through the door and a large explosion followed quickly after, knocking the door down to the floor. Smoke poured into the room and the two started coughing wildly.   
Two figures ran through the smoke, revealing Satoshi and Kenji behind him. As the smoke cleared Satoshi got a good view of Kasumi and Shigeru and pulled out a gun from his belt. He aimed it straight at Shigeru, keeping his ground in a fighting stance.   
"Hands off Kasumi, you fiend!" shouted Satoshi. "Don't even think about tying her up with that rope! It's much too small to fit all the way around her arms...."   
Shigeru looked over Kasumi's shoulder; at his hands that held the rope currently hanging Kasumi's hands in but one, loose, loop. He looked at Satoshi and squinted at him.   
"Satoshi, how much more stupid could you possibly be?! Your friend over there's got a lot more sense then you'd ever have!" snarled Shigeru.   
"Huh?" said Satoshi, confused at the words. He looked over at Kenji behind him, who was only staring at Shigeru and Kasumi with a surprised face. "He doesn't really look so smart now... but anyway, let go of Kasumi or die!"   
"Not without the money!"   
"Something tells me this isn't going right..." mumbled Kasumi.   
Satoshi and Shigeru stood growling at each other. Pikachu suddenly jumped out from behind Satoshi and shocked Shigeru. Satoshi quickly grabbed Kasumi from the burnt criminal and ran off down the hall.   
"Ahh, I'll be taking this, thank you," said Kenji as he took the cage with Togepi in it and followed after Satoshi and Kasumi.   
"Hey, come back here!" called out Shigeru, shaking off the dust, and he abruptly jumped off the table and ran after the three. "Anita! Yoriko!" he shouted and two of his workers stood in front of Satoshi, Kenji, and Kasumi.   
Shigeru caught up to the group, taking Kasumi out of Satoshi's arms. Kasumi gave a sheepish laughter and blushed lightly as Satoshi turned around quickly and grabbed onto her arm.   
"She's with us!" said Satoshi with a strain in his voice and he pulled harder on Kasumi's arm.   
Shigeru pulled just as hard. "She's staying here!" He eyed at Anita and Yoriko, who were just about finished beating up Kenji.   
"Anita, Yoriko! Give me a hand here!" cried out Shigeru.   
The two women looked up and rushed over to Shigeru, pulling on Kasumi's arm as well.   
"Stop it you two or you'll tear me into two pieces!" cried out Kasumi.   
"Pikachu...!!!" shouted Satoshi.   
"Pika!" replied Pikachu and it jumped out from behind, landing on Kasumi's head. "Pika- CHUUUUUUU!"   
It let out a shock of electricity at Shigeru and the guards. The two women let go of Kasumi's arm and fell to the floor with Shigeru, but he still looked up in pain as Satoshi huddled up to her.   
"Come on, let's go!" said Satoshi.   
Kenji shook his head from the beating and stood up at the words and followed Satoshi.   
Kasumi was rushed along with Satoshi with no choice but to follow him back. She gave Shigeru a heartwarming smile and reached her hand out. Shigeru gave a small push on his own arm and smiled back at her.   
Satoshi gave a tug on Kasumi and urged her to move faster. She moved along with him out of the hall and the group left the ship.   
Ibui ran out over to Shigeru, running onto his lap and licking his face. He petted the small animal with the same smile and looked up once more at the closing door. All he could see was a ripped off piece of the pale pink ribbon that was tied at her back. And that was the last he had seen of her that day. 

But only for that day. 

-To be Continued 


	2. Heart to Ego: Runaway

Runaway

Runaway

"We really need to look out for Shigeru now..." said Satoshi and he looked down thoughtfully.   
"He's gone as far as kidnapping and blackmailing," added Kenji.   
Kasumi stood beside them, listening to their conversation. They were flying towards nowhere while Shigeru was retreated elsewhere. Kasumi looked from side to side once in a while, disliking how far away they were flying out in space. Away from Shigeru....   
"Kasumi," said Satoshi, breaking her thoughts. She looked up at him quickly. "Are you sure you're okay? You're really not hurt?"   
"No," she replied quietly.   
"You haven't yelled at us ever since we escaped Shigeru's ship," said Kenji and put a hand on her shoulder. Pikachu nodded in agreement.   
"No," she repeated and stood up, shaking off Kenji's hand. "I just need some time to myself," she said and walked slowly into her quarters with Togepi.   
Satoshi and Pikachu made small yelps and quickly ran after her, but before he could, Kenji blocked him with his arm and shook his head. Satoshi looked up at him sadly, but still anxious to get to Kasumi.   
"Leave her be," said Kenji. "It's been a rough day, and she was in the middle of it. We should leave her alone so she can relax." 

Kasumi sat in her bed, pressing her fingers and nose against the thick window. She couldn't see Shigeru's ship anywhere. Only the stars... endless stars.   
"Shigeru..." she said and sighed. "If I had realized I loved you... maybe I would have been with you by now... but... but..." Kasumi's eyes welled up with tears and she burst out with her face buried in her hands. "Shigeru!!!!"   
"Toge!" said Togepi and it climbed onto her lap and tried to comfort her. She slowly picked it up with shaking hands and could see its worried face. She moved her lips a little to cry more, but she wiped her tears and became serious. "I don't need to just wait like this. I'm not the princess-type and I'm tired of being treated like one so much I start to act like one as well. I wanted to ride in this ship for excitement, not some kind of nursing job!" 

Satoshi sighed and gazed off into space. "Maybe we should check on her now," said Kenji. Satoshi's face lit up. "The poor girl's probably just sleeping, but still." The two boys walked into her room, but found it empty. There was no trace of her or togepi, except previous handprints on her bed and couch. But there was one little piece of paper that was taped to a cushion on her pillow. Satoshi ran to it in excitement. "Shigeru!" he said with his teeth gritted. But he looked at it and then suddenly looked shocked. Kenji looked over his shoulder and the paper didn't seem to have much writing on it at all. 

__

Bai-bai.   
-Kasumi 

"What...? What does she mean by this?" asked Satoshi and turned to Kenji, but he only shrugged.   
They burst back into the control room.   
"Lei-9! Lei9! Status on the cargo area!" shouted Satoshi.   
"Previous cargo total: 20 items," said the mechanical voice. "Current cargo total: 19 items."   
"What was taken away?"   
"Escape Shuttle removed."   
"Kasumi took the escape shuttle?!" repeated Satoshi. "But- but why?"   
Kenji took in a deep breath. He knew why, but he didn't think Kasumi would be so anxious to get back to Shigeru. He and Satoshi both saw them, but only he knew, but he respected Kasumi and kept silent about it.   
"I don't know," said Kenji. "But I'm sure it must have been for a good reason." 

Shigeru looked over Yoriko's shoulder and Ibui looked as well. "Sir," she said and her curly blue hair bounced as she turned her head. "There isn't any sign of Satoshi's ship, but I've located a small shuttle a little up ahead."   
"Analyze it," he commanded.   
"Yes, sir," she replied.   
Shigeru wondered if the person in it could give him a nice boost on cash or weaponry. It seemed a little too small for anything rich in there, though. It was obviously only enough to fit in a bout two or three people, and possibly any other supplies. The standard model that he knew of.   
"Sir," said Yoriko.   
"Yes?"   
"The ship contains one person, and something I can't identify. It's either an object, or an animal."   
"Let me see what it looks like," he said.   
The screen which held the graph of the ship returned to its original viewer and it took a nice close-up of the shuttle and the name of it. On the side of the ship were the words "PIKA-GALAXY."   
"PIKA-GALAXY?" read Shigeru. He burst into insanity and looked closely at the screen. He demanded, "That's Satoshi's ship! Who's inside it?!"   
Yoriko stumbled in her chair a little. "I- I don't know, we can't identify that kind of thing."   
Shigeru stood up straight and calmed down a little, getting back to his more refined position and inflated ego.   
"Anita," ordered Shigeru and looked over to a light-brown haired girl who looked up at him.   
"Yes?" she replied.   
"Get me down into that shuttle below us," he said.   
"Yes, sir. Right away," she said. 

Shigeru was plunged out from his giant ship and he swam down to the little shuttle. He was wrapped in a thick type of material that covered his whole body, except for his head, which was wrapped in a more translucent film that kept his body from exploding from the low density of space. He managed to break into the outer door of the shuttle. He took off his head piece (not a crown) and dropped it onto the floor. He looked up at the ceiling where there was a hatchet that he could open and get into. He shoved it open and looked up.   
Kasumi was standing there in a gray body suit similar to Satoshi and Kenji's instead of her nurse's dress. She had her hands up in the air with an armed laser gun, ready to take out whomever she could hear making such a loud commotion below. Though when she looked down, she saw Shigeru and took a step back in shock.   
"Shigeru!" she exclaimed and dropped down onto her knees and let go of the gun, which dropped down with a clang, while he stayed half way through the door, looking up at her.   
There was a moment of silence and staring until they quickly hugged each other tightly. They were catching their breaths, and could hear each other and feel the warm air rise up from them. They unlocked their arms and Kasumi pulled Shigeru up all the way from the door.   
"Kasumi," said Shigeru, "What are you doing out here?" He leaned against a wall and Kasumi sat in the pilot seat. Togepi hopped onto her lap.   
"Well..." she mumbled, "Looking for you. I want to go on adventures with you, and be with you," Shigeru made a little smile, dripping with his ego. Kasumi continued. "I mean.... I haven't really forgotten... and well..." Shigeru dropped his smile. "Are you sure you really want to be running away like this?" Kasumi's mouth flickered a little at his concern, so contrasted from his usual self. "Do you want to join me and become an outlaw as well, or something?"   
"No... I don't want to become an outlaw.. but I do want to be in company with you and travel with you. Shigeru, you understand, don't you?" she asked.   
He nodded. "Yes. But if you stay around me, people will get the wrong image of you. You don't want that, do you?"   
"But I don't care about public humiliation."   
"If I ever get caught, and you're with me, you will be too, and I don't know about you, but I don't want that to happen." Shigeru walked to Kasumi and she looked up at him sadly.   
"I know you love me, Shigeru," said Kasumi. "It was only one kiss, but I know that deep down you care about me. And I know you want the best for me.... but I still really want to be with you."   
Kasumi buried her head into her hands again and started to cry silently.   
"Kasumi," said Shigeru, and put his hand on her shoulder. "I won't let you stay with me on this ship if you don't want to be seen as a criminal." Kasumi sniffed a little and put her hands in her lap.   
"But then where will I stay?" 

"Where do you suppose Kasumi could have gone?" asked Satoshi.   
"I don't know," replied Kenji. "Maybe in the opposite direction we're going."   
"That's probably where Shigeru is!" he exclaimed looking at the mini screen by his station.   
"We should try and check it out, then."   
Satoshi nodded. "We have to get Kasumi back. It won't be the same without her."   
Kenji rubbed his forehead a little. He felt guilty, but he took the controls and steered the PIKA-GALAXY away.   
After a while, the spotted Shigeru's ship, the unmistakable words "SHUKKETSU SURU SHINZO" (bleeding heart) on the side. 

"You can stay in here," said Shigeru. Ibui was sitting on his shoulder contently, and looked at Kasumi sometimes. He showed her the room: it was simple. There were no satin curtains at the window, or any shag rug. Only a bed, some drawers, and some other furniture. The window was at the side, and it was as big as her own from the PIKA-GALAXY. "It hasn't been cleaned in a while."   
"That's alright," she said.   
"Do you want something to eat? Something to amuse yourself with?"   
"No, that's okay."   
"You shouldn't be so nice like this. You won't get very far that way," he commented. Kasumi looked to the side. "I know what you're thinking," he said. "If you don't want to be such a pushover," Kasumi made a little expression of concern by his brief insult, "you should try not to be so nice. Polite, but not nice."   
"Well then, I would like something to drink."   
There was a footstep heard from behind them before Shigeru could say anything. "Shigeru! How dare you capture Kasumi while she was gone," Satoshi appeared at the room with Kenji, and Pikachu on his shoulder, "and make her your sex slave and force her into saying she wants to drink--"   
"Quiet!" interrupted Shigeru. His face was reddened with anger. Ibui made a small yelp as well. "I've done nothing of the such!" 

"No," continued Satoshi, "I can't believe what's happening. Oh, poor Kasumi... to be treated so badly after she was gone. She meant no harm. Why, Shigeru? WHY?! Why must you blackmail us continually and yet each time it gets worse..."   
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" exclaimed Shigeru and he slapped his hand over Satoshi's mouth. "First of all, I'm not blackmailing you! And if I was, it'd only be the second time! Second, I'd never try and turn Kasumi into a slave! Throughout my whole entire career of steeling, dealing, and killing, I've never raped a single girl! Now if there's somebody who'd even _know_ how to, it's you!"   
"Ibuiiiii!" agreed Ibui.   
Satoshi struggled and took Shigeru's hand off. "Aha! So, you haven't raped a single girl, but you have raped married girls! What a shame, Shigeru. I knew you were mean, but I didn't know that you were this mea--"   
"Guards!" interrupted Shigeru again and two women stepped up next to him. "Take away this idiot and his friend! Lock them up in our prison until I can think of something to do with them. At take that little rat, too."   
The two women dragged Satoshi and Kenji off, along with Pikachu, and out of the room, leaving only Shigeru and Kasumi. There was a little silence except for the chirping of their monsters.   
"I'm sorry," said Kasumi suddenly, "Satoshi can be really stupid. I think you already know that."   
Shigeru nodded a little. He petted his ibui, who nuzzled its head into his hand. Kasumi stared at him and admired his love for his pokemon.

"So," he said and Kasumi looked up at him. "you... still want something.. to... drink?"   
There was a moment of uneasiness as Satoshi's speech had suddenly entered their heads.   
"Umm... I think I'll skip on that," she looked back to the floor, "Shigeru... I don't want you to hurt Satoshi or Kenji." Shigeru stared at her. "I mean, they're my friends. I know that Satoshi can be really ignorant, but I still care about him and Kenji a lot. We've been through a lot together.. more than you and me."   
They switched glances. "Okay, I won't," said Shigeru, and Kasumi made a small face of relief. "But, Kasumi..." he held her chin up with his fingers. "I'll never forgive Satoshi for that battle in the past. And you can't stop me from hating him. Kasumi, do you understand?"   
She nodded, accepting his thoughts, and he kissed her. 

Kasumi woke up suddenly. Her eyes blinked a little. She was under the sheets on the bed in her room, but they had become wrinkled up in her sleep. She put her thoughts into order for a moment. Shigeru was in his own room, most likely asleep. Togepi was curled up on the table next to the bed. She could hear the humming of the engines being worked by the part of his crew that worked the night shift.   
Kasumi started to feel uneasy when she thought of Satoshi and Kenji... they were both so close to her and yet she could do nothing to save them because of Shigeru. She felt tied between him and her friends.   
She heard small noises coming from the vent near the floor. She crawled out of her bed and crouched down in front of it. From deep inside she could hear footsteps and tapping. She knocked on the metal a little, wondering if she'd get some kind of answer. After a moment, another knock came back to her.   
"Is somebody down there?" she said just above a whisper. Her voice echoed down through the vent.   
"Kasumi? Is that you?" said a deep voice.   
"Kenji?" she said.   
"Yeah, that's me. Kasumi, where are you?"   
"I'm in my own room on the ship. Is Satoshi there?"   
"He's right next to me; asleep."   
There was a disturbance around them for a moment, the silence creeping around them except for the constant humming of the workers.   
"Kasumi.. just to let you know... I understand how you feel about Shigeru," said Kenji.   
"I know," she replied.   
"And I understand that you want to run away, and I accept that very much."   
Kasumi smiled. "I'm really sorry, Kenji... but when we started traveling, I wanted it for adventure, and I know that I happen to like nursing.. but it completely took away my ability to fulfill my need for excitement."   
"It really won't be the same without you, Kasumi. And I don't know how Satoshi will react to this. I'm sure that as long as you're with Shigeru, he's going to come back to.. well, rescue you, I suppose."   
"I know... I know. But Kenji, although I care about your and Satoshi very much, I _love_ Shigeru and being with him would make me much more happy than with you. I'm sorry, I really am."   
"Maybe we should tell him... maybe not, though..."   
"Don't tell him. If he knows... who knows how he'll react to that? He'd most likely feel ashamed of himself for me getting the chance to meet Shigeru or even start traveling."   
There was another second of silence, but Kenji spoke, "I'm sure that most of all he'll be crushed, Kasumi. Crushed to know that he lost a friend to his enemy."   
Kasumi sighed and blinked once slowly. Her eyes began to water a little. "Well... as I said, Kenji, I'm really sorry... but I've chosen to stay with Shigeru and that's that. Goodnight."   
She could hear Kenji's pleads not to go back to sleep, but she ignored them and went back to bed. From in the cell Kenji was in, he banged on the vents a little, but he received no answer and gave up. 

Yet he knew that Satoshi would not. 

-To be continued... 


	3. Heart to Ego: Break Out

Break Out

Break Out

"_Miss Kasumi? Miss Kasumi?_"   
Kasumi opened her eyes slowly, hearing a woman's voice calling to her.   
"Miss Kasumi?" it repeated once more. Kasumi turned onto her back and sat up, seeing one of Shigeru's crew members standing there with a tray.   
"Huh?" was all she could mumble out.   
"Miss Kasumi, your breakfast has been sent," said the girl and walked up to Kasumi's bed.   
She set the tray onto Kasumi's lap and the smell of citrus fruits and pancakes reached her nose. She looked down at the meal and smiled.   
"Mr. Shigeru sent this down to you."   
"Thank you," she said.   
The girl nodded and walked away into the hallway. When the doors closed Kasumi looked down at the tray. There was a small bowl of pokemon food and she picked it up and set it in front of Togepi, who woke up and uncurled from its shell to eat. She slowly took a bite from the warm pancakes and wondered if Satoshi and Kenji were awake.   
Curiously, Kasumi looked at the vent and said, "Kenji? Satoshi?"   
"Kasumi?!" said a raspy young voice and a pound on the bars from below in the cell. It was Satoshi. "Kasumi, is that you?!"   
"Yes," she replied and got out of bed, but she brought the sweet melon juice with her.   
"Kasumi, where are you?! What's going on?! What are they doing to you?!" cried out Satoshi.   
"They're serving me breakfast," said Kasumi calmly.   
"NO!!! Don't eat it! There could be poison!" Kasumi could hear more banging on the metal bars from below and it rumbled up to her.   
"Satoshi, be quiet, I'm trying to sleep," she could hear Kenji say.   
"Sleep?! How could you sleep at a time like this?!"   
Kasumi sipped from the juice. Satoshi turned back to the vent.   
"Kasumi, where are you?!"   
"Guest room," she replied.   
"Don't worry, I'll save you from the dungeon! And I'll figure out a way to get the poison out from your bloodstream!"   
Kasumi's eyebrows raised a little and her eyelids dropped into a disgruntle face. She rested her face on her hand and sighed.

"This is stupid," she mumbled to herself.   
"Mmm, breakfast," said Kenji.   
"Pika!" said Pikachu happily and she heard a struggled sound from Satoshi.   
"Don't eat it!" shouted Satoshi.   
"Hey, stop it, Satoshi, I'm hungry!" said Kenji.   
"Pika! Chuu!" screamed Pikachu and Kasumi heard the buzz of electricity. She stood up when Satoshi wailed and shouted and sat back in bed to continue eating.   
"Enjoying your breakfast?" Shigeru walked into her room. Ibui was resting on his shoulder.   
Kasumi smiled. "Yes. You didn't make it... did you?"   
Shigeru shook his head. "No, not me. The cook." He sat down in a chair and looked at the floor. "Just to let you know, I'll be stopping by at a planet nearby."   
"Why?"   
"I need to stock up on supplies."   
Kasumi narrowed her eyes. "What kind of supplies?"   
"You know..."   
"No I don't," she said, trying to steal away Shigeru's thoughts.   
"Weapons, drugs, cash... more cash to pay off for the weapons... food."   
Kasumi curled up a little and locked her arms around her legs. "Food, huh?"   
Shigeru shrugged. "I eat food."   
"Ibuiiii!" squealed Ibui.   
"Ibui eats food too," he said.   
Kasumi laughed a little. "I'll let you go." Shigeru looked up at her and she grinned, "But can I come with you?" 

* 

"So how are we going to get out of here, then?" Kenji asked.   
Satoshi put his hand to his chin.   
"I don't know, but I'll think of a way... I just need a boost." Pikachu dangled his tail over Satoshi's knee and he shoed it off. "Not that sort of boost."   
"Why not just climb through the vent?" suggested Kenji.   
"Don't be silly, that'd just be stupid," said Satoshi shook his head. Kenji dug his face into his knees at the stupid remark. "Maybe," said Satoshi, "we can try and unlock these bars." He picked up Pikachu and set it in front of the lock. "Come on, use get a little electricity in there, Pikachu."   
"Pika," it said and nodded.   
Kenji looked at the lost cause and sighed. He turned to the vent. It was silent inside. 

* 

"Aya!" Shigeru grunted lightly and jumped off from the wall and Kasumi followed. Ibui had a determined look on his face like Shigeru but Togepi only smiled. "You stay here," he said, "otherwise my, uhh, dealer will get a bit freaked out."   
Kasumi nodded.   
Shigeru walked down into the small manhole in the ground that led to the sewer. Ibui had jumped off his shoulder and waited patiently at the side of it. Sometimes it would glance at Kasumi, curious as to the newcomer that now hung around its beloved master so much. But it knew it'd get used to her sooner or later.   
"Tt tt tt," Kasumi clicked with her tongue and the small pokemon trotted over to her. "Hey there, Ibui."   
"Iiuiiii!" it squealed as she petted it.   
"I used to be kind of scared of you," she said and it cocked its head, "knowing that Shigeru would be around nearby. But it seems kind of silly now."   
It wondered why Kasumi was talking to it like that, but it smiled and squealed again.   
A gloved hand poked out of the manhole and Ibui rushed over to it. Another hand reached out from the manhole and Ibui grabbed it with its mouth and began to help pull up Shigeru, although it didn't seem to do anything. Shigeru climbed out from it and Kasumi's head went back a little in shock when she saw a knotted blanket hung around his shoulder.   
Shigeru untied the knot and spread the blanket apart. They could get a good view of the shiny black guns that were laid neatly inside. He picked up one of them. It was small and he examined it. He quickly aimed and fired a blank spot on the ground but all that came out was a puff of smoke. Shigeru's eyes widened in rage and his face grew angry.   
"Kuso! I paid that bastard good money for this! He won't get away with this!" he shouted and ran back into the manhole. "Ibui, come on!" The pokemon ran along with Shigeru and hopped into the hole.   
Kasumi tugged on Togepi a little tighter and sweated. 

* 

Satoshi bust out from the vent with his gun and pointed it around the room. "He's not here, but..." he looked around the room as Kenji climbed out of the vent with Pikachu.   
Satoshi began sniffing the bed and floor. "Kasumi's been here. I can smell it."   
"Oh my god, that's gross! You can smell Kasumi?!" Kenji exclaimed and took a step back.   
The door suddenly opened and Satoshi and Kenji looked to see Kasumi and Shigeru walk in.   
"Shigeru! Kasumi!" shouted Satoshi and he pointed his laser at Shigeru.   
"Satoshi, don't!" she exclaimed and ran over to him. She swiped the gun away from his hand and he stared at her.   
"Kasumi? Wha-a-why?" stuttered Satoshi.   
Kasumi kept silent for a moment or so and her eyes wriggled. "Just don't," she finally said.   
"But..."   
"No!"   
"What's he done to you?" he asked.   
"Nothing, Satoshi. He's done nothing," she answered. "Absolutely nothing except for what you can't do."   
"I don't understand," he said and his voice started to shake.   
"Satoshi, you nice and loyal, but I happen to love Shigeru," she said and Satoshi's moth gawked a little, "and if you can't handle that... then... then... then you'll just have to live with it!"   
"You love.. Shigeru?" repeated Satoshi, "But- but how?"   
"That's enough," said Shigeru, interrupting. "Satoshi, go away and leave us be. You're obviously not handling this in the mature way you should, and as I had told you once before, your friend over there looks like he's got a lot more sense then you do."   
"He... he does?" Satoshi turned to Kenji.   
"Satoshi, let's go. We aren't welcome on this ship," said Kenji.   
Satoshi headed to the door. "You just remember, Shigeru.... I'll still have my revenge weather Kasumi l-loves you or not," he declared. Before heading out the door he took one last look at Kasumi as if she had turned into his opposite, then left. 

* 

Satoshi banged his fist against the wall of his room.   
"No," he said. "It's just not right.... No, no, no...."   
Satoshi curled up into a little ball. He just lost Kasumi. He lost her to the worst person that he could possibly lose her to. Now Satoshi had a new reason to get revenge. 

But maybe a new person to get revenge upon? 

-To be continued 


	4. Heart to Ego: Revenge

Revenge

Revenge

__

Heavy breathing. 

"What have I done?" 

__

Gasps. 

"What has she done?" 

__

Wheezes. 

"What has he done?" 

__

Laughter. 

"I'll get them both for this. How could Kasumi turn upon me... how could Shigeru lead her to it? I'll straighten things out, though.... Oh, yes I will... heheh..."   
A shadow cast partially over Satoshi's body and he looked to his left.   
"...Heheh... come here, Pikachu...."   
"Pika?" 

* 

Kenji sat in his chair at the control panel, looking ragged and edgy. "I... I can't believe I'm traveling with him still. It's unbearable. I don't know who's side I should take.. Maybe I should quit, but if I do I'll really mess up Satoshi. He already can't take Kasumi. Ah, what do I do?"   
Kenji suddenly heard hard footsteps until seeing Satoshi charge into the room with Pikachu on his shoulder.   
"I'm taking one of the mini shuttles," he announced quickly.   
"What?!" Kenji shouted. "Satoshi, it's been weeks since you haven't gotten out of your room, don't just bust out and fly...." he had already left. Kenji could see the small shuttle launching off into the space on the monitor. "...away."   
Kenji sighed and looked up. What could he be doing with that shuttle? Yes, of course... he was going to go back to Shigeru's ship, but why? He usually doesn't go back there until at least five months have passed by. Maybe there was another reason?   
"Oh no!" Kenji exclaimed. 

* 

"Are you ticklish here?"   
"No."   
"How about here?"   
"No."   
".... How about _here_?"   
"No."   
"Here?"   
"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"   
Shigeru bust out laughing as Kasumi tickled him on the belly. Kasumi smiled and decided to stop his torture. She laid down in his lap and looked up at him.   
"Where are you ticklish?" he asked.   
"I don't want to say."   
"Well, I'll find out one way or another!" he said playfully and began to trickle his hands down Kasumi's sides, making her giggle loudly. 

After their small tickling fiesta. Kasumi stood up and headed back to her room. When she sat down on her bed, she heard a small beeping sound coming from under the side of her shirt close to wear Shigeru had been tickling her. She found a small round communicator that the PIKA-GALAXY had.   
"Kasumi? Kasumi, are you there?!"   
"Kenji? Kenji, I found one of the communicators in my shirt," she said.   
"I dropped it in a few weeks ago while you and Satoshi were fighting. Kasumi, I need to warn you."   
"Warn me about what?" she asked and started to worry a little.   
"It's Satoshi," he said and Kasumi's eyes widened. "I think he's coming to get you and Shigeru."   
"What?!"   
"Kasumi, when he found out you joined Shigeru, he got really upset."   
"Really upset?"   
"_Really_ upset. He didn't come out of his room for over three weeks!"   
"You're still talking about Satoshi?!"   
"Yes! Kasumi, watch out, he just went out with the mini shuttle just a few minutes ago. You got to warn Shigeru. Warn the whole ship!"   
"Yes... yes, okay," said Kasumi and she waited until she heard Kenji turn off the communicator. "Oh my... Satoshi... what's happened to him?"   
"Heheh... I know what's happened to him," said a raspy voice.   
"Nn? Satoshi?!"   
Satoshi emerged from where the shadow hit one of the corners. He grabbed Kasumi from behind, wrapping his left arm over her arms and body, and his right over her mouth so nobody could hear her screaming.   
"Now Shigeru will know what it's like," said Satoshi, "for a dear, dear friend to be stolen away. And you, Kasumi," he continued and cocked his neck so his head was beside hers, and he could see how scared she was, "let's play a little game." 

* 

Shigeru sat in his bed. He had his cloak off and sat silently with a book in his hand.   
"Ibuiiii!" said Ibui and it jumped up onto his bed. He tilted the book down a little and petted it, but he noticed a piece of paper in its mouth.   
"Nn? What's this?" He wondered and took the paper away from his pokemon. "It's a note!" 

__

Dear Bastard, 

Now you know, you baka. You lose.   
Time to give up and surrender. 

-Satoshi 

Shigeru's eyes narrowed. "I know? Know what?" He got up from his bed and walked down the hall instinctively. "What's that guy up to now...?"   
He went into Kasumi's room with Shigeru closely following, but he didn't find her.   
"Kasumi? Kasumi?! Where are you?!" he called out.   
No answer.   
Shigeru sucked in his breath. He ran down into the control panel and went over to one of his women.   
"Yue, Where's Kasumi?"   
The crew member immediately started switching around threw her files, checking the ship for any sign of the girl.   
"She's nowhere on the ship, Sir," Yue replied.   
"Nowhere?" he repeated.   
She shook her head. 

* 

"Now then... for that little game we're going to play," Satoshi said with his back turned to Kasumi. Pikachu was on his shoulder obediently. "Every time I don't like what you say, Pikachu's going to give you a little shock. Got that?"   
Kasumi stayed silent, staring at Satoshi with her arms tied to a chair.   
"Answer me. Do you understand?"   
Silence.   
"Shock her!" he yelled and Pikachu zapped its electricity and she screamed.   
"Y-yes," she answered timidly.   
"So... why do you l-love Shigeru?" he asked.   
A tear escaped Kasumi's eye. "I already told you before, Satoshi--"   
"Shock her!"   
Kasumi's eyes shut closed as the electricity burned through her veins. She continued. "I can go on adventures with him and have excitement. If I'm with you and Kenji, all I become is a nurse because you always have to take the spotlight--"   
"Shock her!"   
Kasumi closed her eyes again in pain. "When I'm with Shigeru, we can both share the surprise together."   
"Y-you've become an outlaw... an outlaw like him," commented Satoshi, but it was almost interrogative.   
"Well... umm...I can't join with him when he's dealing... eheh?"   
"Shock her!"   
Kasumi screamed this time.   
"A _wanted criminal_," he said simply.   
Kasumi swallowed when her throat started to get thick. "At first I didn't want to, but it seemed so... fulfilling, I couldn't really resist the robberies and... and..."   
Kasumi trailed off when Satoshi stared at her strangely. "I never should have let you join me in the first place. You're messed up, Kasumi. I can't believe you've chosen an outlaw life over all we've been through. The war, Kasumi. Don't you think that was exciting enough? That one war for that whole year? Or I'm sure you were only entertained by half the universe dying while Shigeru and I were battling our brains out," Satoshi stepped up to Kasumi and looked at her straight in the eye. "I'll bet you enjoy all of that violence, don't you? You've turned into Shigeru. Haven't you? **HAVEN'T YOU?!**" he demanded out of her.   
Kasumi swallowed hard again. "Sort of--"   
"Shock her!"   
Kasumi started to feel dizzy and her head drooped down slightly and she looked at the floor. "Yes, I have! B-but... Satoshi, it still doesn't mean we can't still be friends. Satoshi, I still like you.. you were so nice to me..." She looked up at him. "You _were_ nice to m--"   
"Stop this!" Satoshi pulled out his laser. "I won't listen to this any longer. I can't stand you, Kasumi, and so I leave you for your true destiny: the devil of hell. Goodb--"   
The door opened behind them and a light shone through. Both Kenji and Shigeru ran through.   
"Kasumi!" shouted Shigeru and he got to Kasumi. "Kasumi... y-you're so burnt... w-what has he been doing to you?"   
Kasumi began to cry while he untied her arms. "He.... he..." she stuttered but couldn't answer. She only dug her face into Shigeru's chest and he put his arms around her, wrapping his cape along her back.   
"Shhh..." he whispered silently.   
Satoshi stared at the two, scared and shaking. His hand was twitching so much his gun dropped to the floor with a clap and he took one pivot back and heard a voice from behind by the door.   
"True love; so beautiful," said Kenji, "The gentlest of care and the heart of gold so pure and warm. The soul of an outlaw is much deeper than that of the hero."

Pikachu jumped off of Satoshi's shoulder and onto the ground next to Kenji. He dropped to the ground with his arms limp at his sides. Satoshi buried his face in his hands and started to cry silently except for the deep gasps of air he took in the middle. 

-End 

  
Yes, that's the end of Heart to Ego. Sorry Satoshi-fans, I was kind of dissing him throughout the whole story... I really didn't mean to, I think Satoshi's a great guy. But I needed an antagonist and I didn't think it'd make sense if it were Kenji, so....


End file.
